


Your Eyes Are The Stars

by dorkpatroller



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Commission fic, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, and mad, niles is anxious, odin is a hero
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-13
Updated: 2017-06-13
Packaged: 2018-11-13 11:58:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11184660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorkpatroller/pseuds/dorkpatroller
Summary: Niles is a little bit terrified of being in love but Odin seems confident.





	Your Eyes Are The Stars

 Odin is smiling while Elise bandages his wounds. She’s telling him how brave he was, and how proud of him Leo was, and how he’s a hero! It strokes his ego just right and Niles knows that to be true because although there’s absolutely no way he isn’t in pain, Odin is grinning like a fool. He’s got his hand poised to tell the story of how he valiantly risked his own life to protect _Niles_.

Niles catches Odin glance in his direction and very purposefully he scowls at him. Odin’s sunshine grin fades away into an uncomfortable frown. Disappointment, no doubt. Ah, Niles thinks, that feels better. He turns and walks out of the infirmary. Odin is fine. Niles sees no reason to linger.

He doesn’t get far before he hears clumsy footsteps walking after him. He turns around. The hall is empty, long, dark. Most are in bed at this hour. His pursuer is, obviously, Odin. Niles could recognize the sound of  _ his steps anywhere _ .

Odin is an oddity. He came into Niles's life on a whim and when he was appointed as Lord Leo's retainer neither of them took him quite seriously. He rightfully gained Leo's trust, however, and Niles… well, it took longer, but Niles has come to trust Odin, too. In several ways.

Several times over the course of the war they have indulged in trysts. There are few people Niles trusts, but  _ Odin Dark _ is a man easy to lay with. He is sweet like honey when he kisses Niles behind closed, and locked, doors. He laughs into Niles’s mouth and he touches him with a static touch. He’s an addiction Niles has developed.

An addiction with an annoying habit of being overly dramatic. “May I help you?” He asks. Odin shifts uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

“Niles the Stargazer!” Ah, there he goes, calling to him too loud for the hour and with too much flair for Niles’s patience, right now. “My cognitive senses have divulged that you are… angry, with me?”

“Mm, did they?” Niles asks. He crosses his arms and taps his foot, impatiently. “That’s nice. Are we done?”

“Wh—no!” Odin steps forward again. He looks steady on his feet, but Niles is too busy staring at the bandages wrapped snug around his ribs. There’s an extra bit of padding and wrapping around his chest. Right near his heart.

Niles was obviously right there when it happened. He made his own choice to sacrifice himself to get Lord Leo to safety. Damn near helpless at close range, he ran into the front lines so that his liege would have an opportunity to retreat. Then what does Odin do?

He rushes in. He pulls Niles back by the arm so suddenly that Niles loses his footing and falls on his ass. The damned ninja reaches out and wedges his shuriken into Odin’s chest instead of Niles’s. Niles sees red while Odin  _ bleeds _ .

Niles was prepared to die for Lord Leo. He was not at all prepared to let  _ Odin _ die for him. Not in that moment. But he lived. They both made it out safely. Odin is a hero for saving them both and Niles is suddenly twice as aware of Odin’s mortality.

Doesn’t he know he’s special? Damn near anyone else could have been stabbed like that and Niles may have smirked and said we all get our just desserts. But  _ Odin _ is unique. He does not deserve to die. Nor does Niles ever want to see it happen, let alone be the cause of it.

“So what, then,” Niles asks, “Could you possibly want?” What could Odin have to say that he thinks it is worth mentioning while Niles is this bothered? Come morning perhaps he won’t be so shaky.

Odin clearly has no idea how to take a hint because he moves intimately closer until there is hardly a few inches between them. He holds his hands in front of him near his sides and Niles can notice how they twitch just a bit. He wants Niles to take hold of them. Niles does not. It’s hard enough to remind himself that it’s  _ okay _ to be affectionate towards Odin when he’s not mad at him.

Odin is something like a star. Niles is fond of him, feels close to him, and he comforts him when he is lonely but… He is far beyond his reach. He feels like Odin is fleeting. To let himself grow more attached than he already is will result in dire consequences. Today was a grim reminder of that.

“I want to know why you’re so angry!” Odin looks quite frustrated. What is he thinking? Is he thinking Niles owes him a debt of gratitude for stepping in and saving his life? Niles owes him nothing. But then again, when has Odin ever been selfish? He certainly loves to have his ego stroked but nothing he ever does is for that purpose alone. He doesn’t save lives to be called a hero; he saves lives because he  _ is _ a hero.

Perhaps that infuriates Niles. For his whole life, he’s thought no man could truly be  _ selfless _ . Everything is done for gain, especially in Nohr. But there he is: sandy hair, electric eyes, thin lips, and he’s first in line to give advice, to lend an ear, or to save a life. As he saved Niles’s, today. Yes… that makes him very angry. “You could have  _ died _ !” He scoffs. No more Odin Dark. Snuffed out like a candle.

“I had to protect you!” Odin argues. His argument is weaker. He’s not angry, he’s confused. He raises his voice though, and he says it with so much resolve that… Well, Niles doesn’t like it.

And since Odin raises his voice, Niles raises his own. As he should! He’s outraged! He can’t remember the last time he was this angry. He tends to be indifferent, he doesn’t  _ care _ about so many things. But he cares about Odin and he cares about this. “Your vow is to protect Lord Leo. You had no business risking your life to save mine. We could have both died, and then no one would be here to keep him safe.”

Odin’s brows come together. How should he make an argument against that? He can’t. “But,”

“Shut up.” Niles crosses his arms. “I’ve known you to be foolish but never to be irresponsible. What possessed you to do something so stupid?”

"I didn't want to lose you!" Odin throws his arms up in the air like he's a child having a fit. After that, he pushes his hands through his own hair. "I'm done watching the people I love die. I won't do it again."

That last bit is something of a hush but it's the most important thing he says. It makes Niles's heart stop, momentarily. His fingers feel numb and he stops yelling and starts staring. Love? Him?

There is a lot of implication with the sentence. Odin rarely speaks of his history; he claims he is an open book and meant to be read front to back; not in reverse. Niles has tried to dig up his past once already and after failing he decided he would just take Odin’s word that he was harmless to their liege. Still, to think that Odin has lost loved ones makes Niles uncomfortable. He likes to see people suffer, he finds great amusement in it, but not  _ Odin _ .

To think, could Niles be considered one of those loved ones? How does Odin know? If he loves Niles, could he explain what it is? Is it the way Niles desires only to see Odin happy and bright? Is it the way Niles’s heart clenched with panic and rage when Odin nearly died on his behalf? Niles swallows thick but the knot in his throat holds steadfast.

_ Retreat _ . It’s the first thing that comes to mind when Niles doesn’t know what to do or say. He suddenly feels awkward and vulnerable. No one has ever claimed to love him before, that he can recall, in his entire life. Not family or friends or  _ anyone _ . How does Odin know he loves Niles? He probably doesn't. He probably has confused it with lust, with companionship, with friendship.

He backs up a step and Odin reaches for his wrist. Niles finds he doesn’t flinch. He’s not even that surprised. Still, he flexes his hand to see if Odin will let him go without a fight. He’s not sure if it’s more comforting that he finds his grip is slack or if it’s alarming.

What is it called when a person is your best friend, a reliable partner, and the water that quenches you when you burn? What does it mean that Niles finds Odin to be comfortable and easy to talk to without so many thick walls up?

“Please,” Odin whispers. He doesn’t finish his request but it doesn’t matter. Niles can hear it hang in the air. Don’t go. He pulls at Niles’s wrist gently. Niles doesn’t budge. Odin steps towards him instead. He accommodates him always. When Niles finds himself unwilling or unable, Odin finds the will and he finds the way.

The hallway is still empty but suddenly it feels like a thousand eyes are staring at Niles. He’s supposed to say he loves Odin too, isn’t he? But he’s not entirely sure what love is, let alone if he loves  _ Odin _ . But that’s a lie. He’s known for a long time he loves Odin, he thinks. He’s just been pretending he doesn’t. It’s easier to ignore it when it’s his own feelings. That Odin has feelings for him is a louder voice in his head.

Does he look like he’s panicking? He certainly would like to think not, but Odin’s eyes are cautious. He’s looking at Niles like he’s approaching a wounded animal. It’s unnerving. What is he going to do? What might he say?

He kisses Niles. He draws himself closer to Niles until he can slide his hand to hold his neck. His thumb brushes absently on the square of Niles’s jaw and Niles finds himself willing to kiss him. Even though he is angry and confused and scared all at once, Odin’s kiss is somewhat reassuring.

Physical pleasure is far more familiar to Niles. He lays his hand on Odin’s waist and his thumb fiddles with the mesh there. Odin sighs against his lips and suddenly it’s very calm and clear. Odin curls his fingers into the waves of Niles’s hair. Some of the tension leaves Niles.

Odin saved his life today because he loves him. Niles isn’t sure what love is yet, but Odin has loved before and so he must be certain. That Odin is so confident is soothing. When he pulls away Niles finds himself trying to chase his lips instead of trying to escape him, now. Odin rocks on his feet and he looks down before he looks at Niles in his eye again. “I love you more than there are stars to shine, and I’ll love you longer than they burn.”

Panic sets in again, but it only lasts a moment before Odin flashes him a brilliant grin and reaches out to cup both of his hands over Niles’s mouth. “You don’t have to love me too. My love comes without a price, but it will be unwavering!”

Odin slides his hands away from his mouth, down to Niles's chest and he bites his lip momentarily before he continues. "So perhaps now you can see why I couldn't stand back and watch you die. I have grown too comfortable with our shared nights, and with the smile you've reserved for my eyes alone."

Does he smile at Odin often? No doubt, for just the mention of it brings a tiny curl to his lips. Still, it’s easily replaced by a frown again. “Don’t risk your life for me, Odin.” He repeats.

Odin’s smile gives way for a tiny frown, and he parts his lips to protest. Niles shakes his head and before either of them can force out words he leans forward and kisses him again. “Please,” Niles murmurs into Odin’s mouth between kisses, “Just stay with me.”

Odin’s eyes are momentarily wider. Niles wonders why. Maybe he said something wrong? But they soften a breath later and Odin closes his eyes and smiles wide against Niles’s lips. It’s a feeling Niles hopes he’ll feel over and over again, the feeling of happiness sweeping over Odin. It’s odd, Niles thinks, to want to see someone smile every day.

“I’ll stay with you forever, if you give me the choice,” Odin exhales the words like they’re natural to him, as natural as breathing. His fingers curl into the cloak Niles wears, and if he is afraid to be in love or afraid to promise to stay he hides it well behind unadulterated enthusiasm. He glows with happiness and the promise of sharing it with Niles.

Niles slides his hand up Odin’s side until it is met with bandages beneath that mesh. Of course, he expects Odin to lay down his life for their liege should the occasion arise that he must, but… he certainly never wants to see Odin hurt like this again. If that means that he must consider his own wellbeing of a touch higher importance, then he will.

Is this love? It must be. Niles has been in love for weeks, maybe months, but he had no name for it. He was blind. Amazing how Odin always finds the extraordinary in something Niles may consider mundane.

“Odin,” Niles says, almost too low with the whirlwind of acceptance, panic, and uncertainty within him. Odin stops smiling quite so wide. It falters into an unsure smile, but he watches. He puts all his attention on Niles and what he has to say. Niles trusts him to listen to anything in that moment. He could speak of his past, of his crimes, of the way he was abandoned twice over… but he doesn’t. Those are the past, and for a moment, if only just  _ this moment _ , he wants to live in the present. “Say it again.”

Niles’s lips curl into a crooked smile watching Odin try to process the request. His brows draw together and he looks away from Niles briefly while he focuses on that. “Say what,” he starts to say. He stops when he realizes what it is Niles wants, and his cheeks turn a little darker when he says it. “I love you? I love you. Beyond what you could imagine.”

There it is. It feels good to hear it this time. Now that he is expecting it, that is. Niles isn’t as afraid of the concept now that he’s had a few minutes and reassuring kisses to help him process it. He wants to say he loves him, too. He wants to make him smile big and blush again, but he finds himself tripping on the words. Why? Is part of him still afraid? Odin raises his arm to gently squeeze Niles’s bicep. Is that reassurance? He did say Niles didn’t have to say it. “I…” Niles clears his throat. Odin doesn’t interrupt. “Mm. Me too.”

He hates himself for backing out but Odin’s grin spreads across his whole face. He reaches out and grabs his face to pull Niles forward into a decidedly  _ happy _ kiss. Niles feels stupid. His face is darkened with his own embarrassing blush and he wonders if this awful giddy and embarrassing feeling is how love is meant to feel. Will it last forever? He supposes, while he pulls Odin in the direction of his bedroom to be swept safely into his bed and held securely in his arms where no one can hurt him any more than he already is, that there is only one way to find out.

 


End file.
